Combined bagging and packing machine



Apnl 2, 1963 R. H. COCHRANE coms'mw BAGGING AND PACKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet IL Filed Jan. 13, 1958 Ill Iv urn nu llllr INVENTOR. RICHARD H. COCHRANE' BY DES JARDINS, ROBLEIKSOMTRITLE 8| SCHENK HIS ATTORNEYS April 2, 1963 R. H. COCHRANE 3,083,513

COMBINED BAGGING AND PACKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RICHARD H. COCH RANE BY DES JARDINS, ROBINSON, TRITLE 8 SCHENK nls' ATTORNEYS April 2, 1963 R. H. COCHRANE 3,083,513

COMBINED BAGGING AND PACKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 95 ,Q /BI a 92 INVENTOR.

RlCHARD H COCHRANE 1/ /84 BY QQ DESJARDINS, ROBIQIEONTRITLE a SCHENK 9O g2 89 es ee ms ATTORNEYS April 2, 1963 R H. COCHRANE 3,083,513

COMBINED BAGGING AND PACKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lllllllllll INVENTOR. RICHARD H. COCHRANE BY DES JARDINS, ROBIS ON ,TRITLE 8| SCHENK r HIS ATTORN EYS 3,083,513 COMBINED BAGGING AND PACKING MACEHNE Richard H. Coehrane, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to National Distillers and Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed Jan. 13, 1958, Ser. No. 708,664 17 Claims. (=Cl. 53--182) This invention relates to a combined bagging and packing machine and method, and more particularly to a bagging and packaging machine in which the bag or package is fabricated from a supply sheet of indefinte length at the time the goods are being packaged and is formed about the goods to be bagged or packaged so that the fabrication of the bag and the packaging of the goods therein are concomitant or simultaneous. This distinguishes from the conventional method of first making the bags or packages complete to be stacked and then drawn from the supply stack as used.

The machine is selectively automatically or manually operated and can be readily adjusted for cutting off the bags from the supply sheet into any desired uniform lengths, and the machine is also provided with a safety device to stop the cutting operation should there be any obstruction in the path of the cutter. The machine ordinarily operates automatically in cycles for feeding and cutting off selected uniform bag lengths, but its automatic operation may be interrupted at any time for manual control.

The bags or packages are fabricated from an endless sheet which is fed through the machine from a supply reel to be cut ofi transversely into bag lengths and have the cut edges sealed. The sheet is preferably folded upon itself along a longitudinal medial line with the free longitudinal ends disposed in the same general direction for the folded sections to be side by side and with the folded longitudinal end of the folded sheet closed. The folded longitudinal end forms the closed bottom ends of the fabricated bags which are formed from bag lengths cut off transversely from the folded sheet. The folded sheet is fed from a supply reel downwardly from the top of the machine to be vertically disposed with its open longitudinal end at the front of the machine facing an operator who stands in front of the machine and inserts the object in the sealed end of the supply sheet after a terminal package has been severed therefrom.

A vertically disposed spreader is mounted on the machine in the downward vertical path of the folded supply sheet for spreading apart its open end sufficiently wide for conveniently inserting within the spread bag length the object to be bagged. Insertion of the object in the spreader trips a feed control means, mounted therein, for operating feed mechanism for the supply sheet which causes a bag length to be drawn from the supply reel to a cutter positioned beneath the spreader for transversely severing the filled and formed bag from the end of the sheet. The sheet material from which the bags are fabricated is heat-scalable transparent plastic film of such material as polyethylene and the like, and the cutter is electrically heated so that the transversely cut edges of the sides of the cut bag lengths are heat-sealed simultaneously with the severance of the bag lengths from the end of the supply sheet. When a bag length is fed to the cutter, the feed of the supply sheet is stopped by a timed control, and the cutter automatically operated to cut off the bag length. The machine is o erated intermittently for feeding a new bag length in position to be filled and cutting off the filled bag length in each cycle of operation.

One of the main objects of the invention is a combined bagging and packaging machine which is simple in construction and eflicient in operation.

3,083,513 Patented Apr. 2, 1963 Another object of the invention is a combined bagging or packaging machine which is selectively automatically or manually operated.

Another object of the invention is a combined bagging and packaging machine in which the formed package is suspended to be cut off from the supply sheet and then dropped from the machine.

Another object of the invention is a bagging and packaging machine in which the supply sheet is fed vertically.

Another object of the invention is a bagging and packaging machine having adjustable means for cutting oif selected uniform lengths.

Further objects, and objects relating to details of construction and economies of operation, will readily appear from the detailed description to follow. In one instance, the objects of the invention have been accomplished by the device and means set forth in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the appended claims. A structure constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the invention.

HG. 2 is one side elevation of the top end of the device.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation at the opposite side of a midportion below the top portion of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a detailed side elevation of a device.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view on line 55 of FIG. 1 of the cutter in retracted or non-cutting position, looking downwardly in the direction of the arrows.

PEG. 6 is a top plan view like 1 iG. 5 with the cutter in cutting position.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view on line 7-7 of FIG. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 8 is a detailed view of one of the spring-biased rollers disposed adjacent the feed roll. I

FIG. 9 is a detailed view of the safety device for the cutter. 7

FIG. is a cross-sectional view on line 1tl-1tl of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a detailed view of a portion of the pistoncylinder and those portions of the cutter unit to which the piston-cylinder is attached.

Referring specifically to the drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts, numeral 2 is a vertical post mounted on any suitable supporting base 3. A table or shelf 4 is advantageously fixed to the post 2 between its base and top end for holding a supply of the objects to be packaged, such as laundered shirts. Also mounted on the post below the table or shelf 4 is a frame 5 carrying a combination cutting and sealing device as hereinafter described. A supply of objects to be packaged, such as laundered shirts, are stacked on top of the table or shelf 4 to be readily accessible to the operator. The table or shelf 4 may advantageously have a back wall 6 and end walls 7. This table or shelf is preferably disposed at the right hand side of the device for a righthanded operator or at the left of the device for a lefthanded operator. This table or shelf, if used, may be fixed to the machine. However, it is not essential as the objects to be packaged may be supported on any independent supporting means.

A plastic stock supply sheet 8 is carried on a reel 9 which is mounted at some place on the machine for being drawn over a roller 10, disposed at the top of the post 2, downwardly past the end of the table or shelf 4 through the cutter frame 5 for having a bag length cut off and formed into a bag about an object placed therein.

This sheet 8 is a plastic film stock of any suitable portion of the plastic material, such as polyethylene, and is folded along a longitudinal medial line 11 to dispose the two halves l2 and 13 thereof in the same general direction for forming one longitudinal closed end along the medial line 11 and an open end between the free longitudinal ends 14 of the half portions 12 and 13. This results in a pocket extending throughout the length of the sheet. The free terminal end 15 of the sheet is sealed, this being effected by heat-sealing together the adjacent cut transverse edges when a bag 16 is formed from abag length and severed transversely from the end of the supply'sheet along the next transverse cut 17 with its out edges heatsealed. However, when the supply sheet is first threaded through the machine, its starting terminal edge 15 can be heat-sealed by subjecting the end of the supply sheet to the cutter. Thereafter, the subsequent terminal edge will be heat-sealed as the bag lengths are cut off.

The sheet is feed downwardly over roller 10 past a spreader 18 that is disposed in the path of said sheet between the cutter frame and the roller at the top of the post. This spreader 18 is U-shaped with its side walls 19 vertically disposed. It is supported on a frame member fixed to the post, said frame member comprising two L-shaped bars 20 secured to a rear cross piece 21 that is fixed to the post 2. The front ends 22 of the spreader are bent outwardly against the vertical legs 23 of the L-shaped bars 20, and the bottom edges 24 of the walls 19 of the spreader are preferably tapered downwardly and backwardly so that the closed rear end of the spreader is of greater length than its front open end. At the rear of the spreader, on the inside, is a lever control 25 for venting or bleeding at piston-cylinder 26 of a hydraulic line, such as air, to which the lever control 25 is connected. The piston-cylinder unit drives the roller 10 counterclockwise by gear mechanism hereinafter described. The spreader is preferably made from sheet metal or other light weight material which is easily shaped into the desired form.

The piston-cylinder 26 is attached to the post 2, and the piston therein is connected with a rack bar 27 having teeth 28 thereon meshing with a gear wheel 29 on the roller 10. As the rack bar 27 is elevated by the piston, the roller 10 is rotated counterclockwise to feed the supply sheet from the supply reel. Means are provided for feeding uniform lengths of sheet material intermittently. This means comprises a rod 30 fixed to a plate 31 carried by the rack bar and clamped in position by a clamp screw 32. By means of this clamp means 32, the vertical height of the rod 30 may be readily adjusted to any desired height for regulating the bag lengths to be fed from the supply roll. As the rack bar moves vertica-lly upward, it causes the roller 10 to rotate counterclockwise to feed the supply sheet until the top of the rod 30, movable with the rack bar, contacts with a control vent or bleeder control 33. This reverses the piston and causes the rack bar 27 to be lowered or retracted. The gear wheel 29 is so connected to the roller 10 that it will be rotated clockwise wthout driving the roller. This may be effected in any conventional manner so that said roller 10 will be rotated only when the gear bar mov es upwardly and will not be rotated when it is moving downwardly.

A plurality of rolls 34 are mounted on a rod 35 fixed to the post 2 and are-biased into contact with the supply sheet by a spring loaded device. This spring loaded device comprises a sleeve 36 fixed to the rod 35. A coiled spring 37 isdisposed about the sleeve with one end 38 anchored thereto in recess 39 and its opposite end 4tl fitted to an arm 41 extending from the sleeve 36. The free end of this arm is provided with a pin on which is journaled a roll 34. There are preferably about two of these rolls 34 spaced apart longitudinally on the rod 35.

There is a tensioned means 50 over which the supply sheet 8 is festooned, said tensioning means (FIGS.

1 and 3) comprising a pair of rods 51 fitted to a head 52 on one end and to the heads 53 and 54 on the opposite end. The heads 53 and 54 are rotatably mounted upon shaft 55 extended from plates 56 that are fixed to the post 12.

A braking means (FIGS. 2 and 3) is associated with the supply reel 9, it comprising a brake band 57, disposed about a brake drum 58, with one end secured to a flange 59 bent from a support plate 60 that is fixed to the post 2. Its opposite end 61 is fixed to a side 62 of an angle plate welded to the post 2, and it includes a tension spring 63 for yieldably holding the brake hand against the brake drum.

A cable 64 has one end fitted to the yieldable end 61 of the brake band, and its opposite end fitted to the head of the festoon means 50. The festoon means is freely rotatable and is caused to be turned by the feed of the supply sheet 8 when a bag length is fed down over the spreader to the cutter, and, as it is turned, it winds the end of the cable 64- for pulling the yieldable end 61 of the brake band away from the brake drum, thereby causing the brake to be released while a bag length is being fed. Thereafter, when the feed of the supply sheet is stopped, the supply reel is braked, and the festoon means is turned to its normal position by reason of the tension of the spring 63. Accordingly, the supply sheet is unwound intermittently without slack because of the slack being taken up by the festoon means.

There is another piston-cylinder unit 65 (FIGS. 1, 5 and 6) connected to the ends 66 and 67 of the cutter frame 5; The two parts of this cutter frame are actuated relatively to each other. The piston-cylinder 65 is connected to the end 66 of one frame part, and the piston 70 is connected to the end 67 of the frame 69. The piston cylinder unit 65 is clamped by a nut 71 to a bracket 72 welded to the end 66 of one frame part, the end of the piston 70 projecting through a perforation 73 in the end 66 of the frame part. The end of the piston 70 also projeots through a perforation 74 in the end 67 of the other frame part and is clamped by nuts 75 to a bracket 76 welded to said end 67. A resilient sleeve 77 is interposed between the bracket 76 and one of the nuts 75, surrounding a spacing sleeve 78 which is clamped between the nuts 75 on the end of the piston. This provides a yieldable connection between the piston 70 and the end 67 of the frame part. When the cutter has been actuated as hereinafter described, a time dwell is obtained between the heated cutter blade 79 and the platen 80 which are mounted on the opposite ends 66 and 67 of the frame parts of cutter frame 5. The piston 70 presses against the bracket, and washer 77 is yieldable for allowing slight overtravel of said piston. The frame parts of frame 5 are relatively movable to bring the cutter blade 79 and the platen 80 into the path of the supply sheet 8 and be in registration therewith when they come together against the opposite sides of sheet 8 as it is fed downwardly through the cutter frame. The cutter blade 79 is electrically heated in a conventional manner by suitable wirmg.

A gearing mechanism is interposed between the adjacent sides 86 and 87 of the frame parts of the frame 5. This gearing mechanism is not for moving the frame parts but simply for causing them to move evenly and uniformly without binding. This gear mechanism comprises a tubular sleeve 84, mounted on a beam extending from the post 2, in which slides the sides 86 and 87 of the frame parts of frame 5. A rack bar 88 is fixed to the inside of side 86 of one frame part, and another rack bar 88' is fixed to the outer side of side 87 of the other frame part, there being a gear wheel 89 interposed between the two rack bars '88 and 88 on the pintle 90 which extends vertically through the top and bottom walls of the sleeve 84. Another gear wheel 91 is mounted on the top end of the pintle 90 which projects through the top wall of the sleeve 84, both gear Wheels 89 and 91 being keyed to the pintle 90 by keys 92. This top gear wheel 91 meshes with a gear rack 93 which is on the end of a transverse bar 94 and is backed by a roller 95 that is fitted to said sleeve 84. There is a similar gear mechanism mounted on each side of the frame parts, and there is a gear rack 93 on each end of the transverse bar 94. The gear mechanism is duplicated on each side of the frame for each pair of sides 86 and 87 of the frame parts. By reason of this gear mechanism, the two frame parts are caused to move relatively to each other evenly and uniformly so that the cutter blade and the platen will be disposed parallel to each other.

A control 100 (FIG. 1) for venting or bleeding the feed cylinder-piston unit may be conveniently disposed to both the left and right of the supply sheet on any fixed part of the machine, such as the frame for the spreader. Thus the machine may be operated manually by either a left or right handed operator as well as automatically by the control lever within the spreader and against which the inserted object hits to stant the feed operation. A timer may be so connected :with the cutter operated cylinder-piston unit 26 so that it will be operated at a certain time interval as soon as a bag length has been fed through the machine and the feed of the supply sheet is stopped. Feed of the supply sheet is stopped when the feed control 33 is tripped. The weight of the object to be packaged is such that it will cause the packaged end of the supply sheet to be pulled down past the spreader in that cycle that another bag length is being drawn from the supply reel.

In order to prevent injury to the operator or to the machine by reason of any obstruction, other than the supply sheet 8, between the cutter blade and the platen, the cutter device is provided with a safety device shown in FIG. 9. This is attached to the end 66 of the outer frame part of the frame 5.

The platen 80 is of any suitable resilient material, such as rubber, so that it may yield slightly when the cutter blade 70 is moved thereagainst for bringing the portion of the material to be cut into contact with the cutter blade throughout its entire length. The cutter blade 79 is supported on the end 66 of the outer frame part of the cutter frame by spaced-apart supports 99. There is a cutter guard for the cutter blade 79, this guard comprising a pair of supporting cradles having a bottom -3 and upstanding sides 101 to which plates 102 are secured in parallelism on opposite sides of said cutter blade. The free ends of the plates #102 are brought relatively near to the blade by reason of off-set portions between the top and bottom ends of said blades. The bottoms 103 are each provided with a stub projection 104 extending through a recess 105 in end 66. A coiled spring 104a is interposed between end 66' of the cutter frame part and the bottom of the cradle, said springs yieldably biasing the cradle in the position shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 with the free ends of the plates 102 of the guard extending beyond the cutting edge of the blade 79.

An angle bar 106 is yieldably mounted on the end 66 of the cutter frame part by means of pins 107, there being a pin 107 at its opposite ends projecting through the end 66 of the outer cutter frame part and spaced therefrom by resilient washers 110 disposed on the pins, between the bar 106 and the end 66' of the outer cutter frame part. A coiled spring 107a is disposed about each of the pins 107 and compressed between the end 66' of the outer cutter frame part and a stop lug 108 on the ends of the pins. There is a pin 107 disposed near each end of the bar. The stop lugs also are disposed so that they will abut against the end 67' of the inner frame member during the cutting operation to keep the bar 106 spaced from the projections 104.

Bleed control valves 106a are provided on the bar 106, one for each of the projections 104, they being connected to the air line 109 leading to the cylinder-piston 26 for the cutter. These controls are normally slightly spaced from the ends of the projections 104 of the cutter guard and contacted by said projections when the cutting operation is completed to retract or separate the cutter frames. Accordingly, as the cutter bar 79 contacts the platen 80, the guard will be retracted for the projections 104 thereon to abut against bleed valve 106a to retract the cutter from the platen. The resiliently mounted bar 106 allows for uniform pressure being exerted against both of the valves 106a.

'If the operators hand or some other obstruction be accidently placed in the cutter between the blade 79 and platen 80, the guard will be retracted to operate the bleed valves 106a, and reverse the movement of the cutter blade 79 and platen to inoperative position. However, the device may be hand operated by either of the bleed valves to return the cutter blade and platen to complete the cutting operation.

From the above description the operations of the device will be apparent. An object to be packaged is inserted within the spreader over which the supply sheet is fed with its sides spread open. The inserted object trips the control lever mounted within the spreader. This immediately starts the piston-cylinder for the gear rack which draws another bag length from the supply reel, the bag length being regulated by the adjustable rod on the gear rack which contacts a bleed valve at the top of the post. The brake is released from the supply reel during this feeding of the supply sheet. At the end of the feeding of a bag length, the valve of the cutter cylinder piston unit is automatically operated to start the operation of the cutter, it being timed to cut off and release the filled bag length and seal the cut off edge of the next bag length which can then be filled with another object to be packaged.

It will be understood that there may be various changes in details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, and, therefore, the invention is claimed broadly as indicated by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by US. Letters Patcut, is:

1. A bagging or packaging machine comprising a vertically movable and adjustable means for intermittently feeding a folded plastic sheet downwardly, a spreader for spreading the open side of the folded sheet, control means positioned within said spreader and operable upon contact with an object inserted therein for initiating operation of said feeding means, a heated cutter disposed beneath the spreader for cutting off a bag length from the supply sheet and sealing the cut edges, a guard means for the cutter, and a cutter control valve adapted to be operated by the guard means.

2. The machine of claim 1 in which means are provided for yieldably mounting the guard upon the cutter support.

3. The machine of claim 1 in which the cutter comprises two relatively movable frames, and means connecting the frames for causing them to move uniformly without binding.

4. The machine of claim 3 in which the connecting means for the frames are gearing mechanism.

5. The machine of claim 1 in which the feeding means comprises a brake means for a supply roll, a freely swinging festoon means over which the folded sheet is threaded, and means connecting the festoon means and brake for permitting said festoon means to operate said brake.

6. The machine of claim 5 in which the festoon means comprises spaced-apart parallel rods.

7. A bagging or packaging machine comprising a feed roll disposed near the top of the machine over which a folded plastic sheet is drawn from a supply roll, a movable means for operating the feed roll, a bleed valve connecting with the operating means for the feed means, means moving with the movable operating means provided with means for tripping the operating means, and a heated cutter for cutting oif a bag length.

8. The machine of claim 7 in which the tripping means is adjustable to regulate the bag length fed through said machine.

9. The machine of claim 7 in which the movablemeans is a gear rack meshing with a gear wheel on the feed roll and the trip means is a slidable rod adjustable as to length for determining the bag length fed to the machine from the folded sheet.

10. The machine of claim 7 including a spreader for opening the sheet and a trip valve operating means carried by spreader in position to be tripped by an object inserted within the spreader for operating the sheet feeding means.

11. The machine of claim 7 having a manually operated valve for the sheet feeding means whereby the sheet feeding means may be selectively operated manually or automatically.

12. The machine of claim 7 including a festoon means over which the supply sheet is fed.

13. The machine of claim 12 having a support for a supply reel and a brake device with the support.

14. The machine of claim 13 in which the brake is connected to the festoon means to be operated thereby.

15. The machine of claim 14 in which the festoon means is swingably mounted and is adapted to be swung by the feed of the supply sheet for releasing said brake and to release the brake when the feed of the sheet is stopped.

16. A bagging and packaging machine including a feed roll over which folded plastic sheet material is drawn from a source of supply, movable means for advancing said sheet material through said machine in a downward direction, control means for stopping the movement of said sheet material when a predetermined length has been advanced, means travelling with said movable means for tripping said control means, and sealing and cutting means for detaching a bag length.

17. A bagging and packaging machine as set forth in claim 16 including a spreader for spreading the open side of the folded sheet material and control means within said spreader and operable upon contact by an object inserted therein for initiating operation of said movable means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,395,387 Fry et a1 Feb. 26, 1946 2,420,983 Salfisberg May 20, 1947 2,539,902 Foley Jan. 30, 1951 2,627,213 Nye Feb. 3, 1953 2,636,730 Eaton Apr. 28, 1953 2,655,777 Hagen Oct. 20, 1953 2,869,298 7 Zwoyer Jan. 20, 1959 2,931,148 Smith Apr. 5, 1960 

1. A BAGGING OR PACKAGING MACHINE COMPRISING A VERTICALLY MOVABLE AND ADJUSTABLE MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY FEEDING A FOLDED PLASTIC SHEET DOWNWARDLY, A SPREADER FOR SPREADING THE OPEN SIDE OF THE FOLDED SHEET, CONTROL MEANS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID SPREADER AND OPERABLE UPON CONTACT WITH AN OBJECT INSERTED THEREIN FOR INITIATING OPERATION OF SAID FEEDING MEANS, A HEATED CUTTER DISPOSED BENEATH THE SPREADER FOR CUTTING OFF A BAG LENGTH FROM THE SUPPLY SHEET AND SEALING THE CUT EDGES, A GUARD MEANS FOR THE CUTTER, AND A CUTTER CONTROL VALVE ADAPTED TO BE OPERATED BY THE GUARD MEANS. 